First/only steeping: 3 minutes 30 seconds at 200 degrees.
While hot, Red Lily has a chocolate and malt aroma. The predominate flavors are cocoa with essences of malt, carob, pepper, and a subdued spiciness. As the cup cools, the spiciness comes forward and a suggestion of plum appears. The cocoa remains true throughout the cup and pairs wonderfully with the spiciness as the liquor changes temperature.

Notes:
Because this is a rolled tea, I under-leafed my cup. Next time I will add more leaf to see if I can coax out different nuances.

First/only steeping: 3 minutes at 212 degrees.
The hot infusion smells wonderfully of lychee with a delicate undertone of grapes and roses. White hot, the liquor has a dominate essence of lychee and a suggestion of sugary rose. As the cup cools, notes of hibiscus mingle with the lychee and the floral undertone is less pronounced. This tea lingers pleasantly on the palate and I think it would be wonderfull chilled.

Dry leaf aroma: Sweet and grassy.Wet leaf aroma: Vegetal with hints of spinach and sweetness.Preparation: 1.5 tsp in 10 ounces of water, brewed western style in a ceramic infuser mug.

First steeping: 2 minutes at 175 degrees.
This Mao Feng is delightfully mellow with a buttery and delicate vegetal taste. I detect undertones of chestnut at the end of the sip, and as the cup cools there are notes of creamy water chestnut.

Second steeping:3 minutes at 175 degrees.
The second steeping has deleveloped a lovely creaminess and has taken on more of a water chestnut undertone. There is a very slight vegetal tang at the end of the sip.

First/only steeping:5 minutes at 210 degrees.
Such a delightful mixtures of aromas – cocoa, malt, dark fruit, and a subtle smoky undertone. At first the smokiness scared me after my previous smoky Keemun experience, but this is a sweeter, more subtle smokiness, not a raw in-your-face smoky. The taste is just as complex as the aroma with notes of cocoa, malt, smokiness, prunes, and something I can only identify as a biting spiciness (pepper?). The aftertaste is slightly bitter with a lingering tartness. After the cup has cooled I notice a breadiness to the flavor and the smokiness is weaker.

Notes:
It is somewhat odd to me that this tea hasn’t been reviewed in 3 years on Steepster. C’est la vie! I did a second stepping but was so stuffed up after my husband mowed the lawn that I don’t trust my nose or taste buds to accurately post notes about it. It was good though! I keep calling this tea sultry, it seems to fit.

I am still amazed at how much the same general style of tea can vary. I think this is part of my attraction and I certainly enjoy the discovery of each variation!

Dry leaf aroma: Black currants with notes of plum and a delicate floral undertone. Wet leaf aroma: Very much like the dry leaf aroma – black currants and floral. Preparation: Brewed western style in a glass infuser mug.

First/only steeping:4 minutes at 195 degrees.
The freshly brewed liquor has a delicate floral aroma. While the cup is hot the dominate flavor is black currants, with hints of licorice, plum and a mild floral note. As the cup cools the floral note disappears and there is a tart aftertaste.

First steeping:3 minutes 30 seconds at 205 degrees.
Smoky aroma with notes of earth and hay. While the cup is hot I taste strong smoke and malt flavors, with a hint of bitterness. As I let the cup cool the bitterness is more pronounced.

Second steeping:4 minutes at 205 degrees.
Almost identical to the first steeping.

Notes:
I was hoping the second steeping would bring out more flavor but I think I just personally perceive this tea as a very smoky Keemun. I’m not sure I will finish the sample package, though I’ve considered using it in a custom breakfast blend.

Dry leaf aroma: Malty with a hint of yeasty sweetness. Wet leaf aroma: Malt and bread with a delicate earthy essence. Preparation: Brewed western style in a ceramic infuser mug.

First steeping:3 minutes at 205 degrees.
This tea is as much a pleasure to smell as it is to sip with its malty bread aroma. The liquor is velvety smooth with a strong freshly baked bread flavor and a subtle buttery mouth-feel. As the cup cools I detect a bit of sweetness and the aftertaste is bread with a buttery note that lingers pleasantly.

Second steeping:5 minutes at 205 degrees.
Very much like the first infusion. The buttery notes are more prominent and the mouth-feel is creamy with a yeasty aftertaste.

Notes:
I wish I had time to do further steepings, as this is a tea worthy of taking your time to savor.

One thing to note, the key for me with Dian Hong is to underleaf slightly or it comes out a bit bitter. I think that has more to do with my taste buds being quirky rather than being an issue with the tea or my water. Regardless, this is an awesome tea. Lovely to look at, intoxicating to smell, and heavenly to sip!

Dry leaf aroma: Fruit and hibiscus with the faintest hint of cream. Preparation: Brewed western style in a ceramic infuser mug.

First/only steeping:5 minutes at 210 degrees.
This tisane has a strong fruit and hibiscus aroma and brews a pinkish red liquor. The predominate flavor is tart fruit, with a very subtle note of cream at the end of the sip. While I cannot isolate the individual fruits, the infusion is neither too generic nor overly tart. However, the cream note throws me off and I am wondering if the Cream of Earl Grey sample packaged in the same mailing envelope contaminated this flavor profile.

Notes:
I received this tea as a free sample, and I want to thank Good Life Tea for the opportunity to taste this.